It's True: I Always Get Compliments When I Wear This Trending Perfume

There used to be a time when I chose my fragrance to make a statement. Regardless of notes (but ultimately the bolder the better), my goal was to be the kind of person who smelled good from five feet away. My most reached-for bottles and best perfumes were vibrant floral fragrances, smoky leather-based blends, fresh green scents, and sugary gourmand fragrances like Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s Baccarat Rouge 540. I liked to imagine that I walked down the street with a cloud of perfume trailing in my wake, and like most people, I assumed that punchy, complex blends would help me to achieve this.

However, over the years and as my scent-triggered migraines worsened, I’ve found myself drawn to softer, subtler scents, and oddly enough, these warm, barely-there, and sometimes outright invisible fragrances were often the ones that drew in the most compliments. There was one particular fragrance that ended up totally converting me. The first time I wore it, I received no less than five compliments from passersby on a quick visit to the supermarket. I then wore it to dinner with my boyfriend, who (for the first time in four years of dating) actually noticed and commented on my fragrance without prompting. Two weeks later, I received a direct message from an Instagram follower who had passed me on the street and was desperate to know what I was wearing.

The scent in question, Escentric Molecules Molecule 01, is cosy, woody, clean, and a little bit sweet. It's what's typically known as a 'skin scent'—supposedly undetectable to the wearer but incredibly appealing to those around.

What Is a Skin Scent?

Right now, skin scents are one of the biggest trends in the fragrance game. Light, soft, warm, and clean, skin scents are a more conceptual perfume category, especially in comparison to the more conventional scent descriptors, like ‘floral’ or ‘green’. Instead, skin scents are less about the individual notes and more about the overall feeling that wearing the fragrance provides. "A skin scent enhances the smell of natural skin, in a radiant yet subtle way,” says perfumer Ruth Mastenbroek. "You, the wearer, are aware of the scent and confident that you are exuding a warm and comforting aura, while not smelling overpowering in any way. This is a scent that feels intimate to you, familiar to you, that helps you to feel truly comfortable in your own skin.”

Essentially, a skin scent sits very close to the body, blending with your natural chemistry rather than projecting loudly into a room. Instead of smelling like a traditional 'perfume,' it enhances the subtle warmth of your own skin, creating an effect that feels intimate, understated, and effortless. People may not realise you’re wearing anything at all, just that you “smell really good,”—which is the ultimate compliment, right? What's more, skin scents are versatile and perfect for anyone who prefers a minimalist, clean aesthetic in their fragrance wardrobe.

Why Are Skin Scents Popular?

Schön’s process for the creation of Molecule 01 began in the 1980s, a time when loud, powerful scents like Dior’s Poison and Opium by YSL were in their heyday. "There were a lot of fabulous fragrances around, yet some of my friends stated that they would rather not wear a fragrance at all than wear the powerful and strong scents that were around,” says Schön. "I thought it a shame that the present offerings would lead them to neglect that opportunity. But, my experience with Iso E Super revealed a possibility for the wearer to leave an impressive olfactory mark behind, where you appear, yet you don’t inhale your scent with every breath you take.”

As for just why skin scents are having a moment right now, Mastenbroek puts this down to a desire for personal connection during the pandemic. "People yearned for emotional connections with other people, yet needed to feel at one with their own world. You wouldn’t want to have a loud fragrance that shouted out, but rather a quiet fragrance that whispered and caressed.” Skin scents are very considerate of other people, she adds, and Beckielou Brown, creator of skin scent ALTRA Skin, agrees. "I see it as a reaction to the intense perfumes that rely on heavy-duty notes with immense projection, those fragrances that enter the room before the wearer does, and linger long after they’re gone,” she says. "Skin scents are the antithesis to this; they’re never in your face or overpowering and can be seen as perfume’s answer to pared-back beauty and skinimalism trends.”

What Do Skin Scents Smell Like?

Skin scents are typically fairly simple blends, with musky or woody notes, which, according to Brown, cling easily to the skin, hair, and clothes. "It’s an intimate scent experience that can aim to mimic or enhance the scent of your own skin,” she explains. "They have a warm enveloping feel to them, some evoking a sense of freshly showered skin or clean laundry, others are less squeaky-clean but still comforting and sensual.”

"Powdery, cashmere notes, together with musks, light woods and ambers are some of the beautiful notes found in skin scents,” adds Mastenbroek. "They are carefully blended, often with touches of essential oils, to make the link to nature and bathe your skin in a warm glow. Hints of sweet vanilla can also help to connect to our subconscious emotions and put us in touch with happy memories, aiding that warm glow.”

While I do still love bold scents, I tend to wear them more now as ‘occasion’ fragrances. Instead, my everyday go-tos have become softer, subtler scents which enhance my natural fragrance, smelling warm, musky, and essentially like ‘my skin but better’. Scroll down to discover some of the best skin scents.

Shop the Best Skin Scents

1. Best overall skin scent: Escentric Molecules Molecule 01
2. Best clean skin scent: Phlur Missing Person
3. Best luxury skin scent: Le Labo Another 13
4. Best skin scent for layering: D.S. & Durga I Don't Know What
5. Best sweet skin scent: Commodity Paper

1. Escentric Molecules Molecule 01

2. Phlur Missing Person

3. Le Labo Another 13

4. D.S. & Durga I Don't Know What

5. Commodity Paper

6. Byredo Eyes Closed

7. Maison Francis Kurkdjian 724

8. Maison Margiela Replica Lazy Sunday Morning

9. Escentric Molecules Molecule 01 + Iris

10. Altra Skin

11. Glossier You

12. Diptyque Eau Duelle

13. Experimental Perfume Club Sable Gris

How We Tested

Every fragrance featured in this roundup has been worn and assessed over an extended period of real-life use. Rather than relying on quick first impressions or blotter tests, I’ve lived with each scent—wearing them on different days, in different environments, and for long stretches of time to understand how they truly behave on skin. This approach allowed me to evaluate longevity, projection, how they evolve throughout the day, and how others respond to them. Because skin scents are uniquely intimate and chemistry-dependent, only long-term wear could reveal which ones genuinely deliver that subtle, addictive, 'you but better' effect.

Why Trust Us

At Who What Wear UK, we know that beauty isn’t one-size-fits-all. Our editors have tested thousands of products over the years—spanning skincare, makeup, hair and nails—and work closely with trusted experts, including dermatologists, makeup artists and leading industry insiders to ensure every guide is well-researched, inclusive and relevant to you.

We focus on formulas that deliver, whether they’re affordable favourites or luxury investments. Our product selection is based on tangible results, ingredient know-how and what we’d truly recommend to a friend.